October in Wilmington: Celebrate Downtown with Hocus Pocus Oct. 30, Big Dawg's Jekyll and Hyde Oct. 15-25, Book of Mormon Oct. 19-20, Airlie and museum nights.

Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. This page is rebuilt at the start of every month. Every listing links to the organizer; confirm times and tickets there before you go. For this weekend, see things to do this weekend.

October in Wilmington means cooler evenings on the Riverwalk, Halloween programs at the museums and gardens, and a busy month of touring shows. Here is what is still ahead. Questions about city events go to Wilmington Parks and Recreation through the city events listing.

The big one: Celebrate Downtown, Friday, Oct. 30

The city hosts a free evening at Riverfront Park, 10 Cowan St., from 5 to 8:30 p.m. to mark the start of its Greater Downtown Plan. From 5 to 6:30 p.m. there are city project displays and staff to talk to, plus food trucks, Halloween treats, lawn games, music, tree giveaways from the Alliance for Cape Fear Trees, and police and fire trucks to look at. At 6:45 p.m. the city shows Hocus Pocus on the lawn, picked by public vote. Costumes are encouraged; bring a blanket or a low chair under 9 inches high. City event page.

On stage

  • Donna Washington, storyteller, Thalian Hall Main Attractions series: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14. Thalian Hall.
  • Singalong Broadway, Wilson Center: Wednesday, Oct. 14. Wilson Center.
  • Daniel Tosh, Wilson Center: Thursday, Oct. 15. Wilson Center.
  • Chemical Imbalance: A Jekyll and Hyde Play, Big Dawg Theatre Company at Thalian Hall: Oct. 15-25. Thalian Hall.
  • Little River Band, Wilson Center: Friday, Oct. 16. Wilson Center.
  • Elmo’s Got the Moves, Wilson Center: Saturday, Oct. 17. Wilson Center.
  • The Book of Mormon, Wilson Center: Oct. 19-20. Wilson Center.
  • The Carpenters Songbook, Wilson Center: Wednesday, Oct. 21. Wilson Center.

Showtimes are on each event page.

Cape Fear Museum

The county’s Cape Fear Museum runs shows in its new planetarium most afternoons at 3 p.m., with the children’s show One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure on Saturday mornings, according to the county calendar. On Friday, Oct. 23:

  • The museum stays open until 8:30 p.m. (details).
  • Free Nuclear Science Week panel discussions run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (details).
  • Cape Fearful Skies, a Halloween planetarium show for adults 18 and older, plays at 6 and 7:30 p.m. Reservations are required. (details).

Airlie Gardens

Airlie Gardens, 300 Airlie Road, has these October programs, with tickets on its site:

  • Guided history tours on the first and third Saturdays, starting Oct. 17.
  • Snake talks with a feeding on select Tuesdays, starting Oct. 20.
  • Homeschool Day: Bills and Beaks, Monday, Oct. 26, for ages 4 to 13 with a parent.
  • Spooky Mushrooms: Friend or Foe?, Thursday, Oct. 29, a classroom session and craft; pre-registration required.

New Hanover County residents get in free on the first Sunday of each month with proof of residence, reserved ahead; the next one is Nov. 1.

City parks programs

Wilmington Parks and Recreation lists weekly programs through October on its events page, including birding trips at Halyburton Park, 4099 S. 17th St., starting Thursday, Oct. 15; Little Aces tennis clinics at Empie Park; and a free disaster preparedness class on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at the Davis Center at Maides Park and the MLK Center.

Also this month

Frequently asked questions

What is happening in Wilmington, NC in October 2026? The city’s free Celebrate Downtown evening with an outdoor showing of Hocus Pocus is Oct. 30 at Riverfront Park. Big Dawg’s Jekyll and Hyde play runs Oct. 15-25 at Thalian Hall, and The Book of Mormon is at the Wilson Center Oct. 19-20.

Are there free things to do in Wilmington this October? Yes. Celebrate Downtown on Oct. 30 is free, and the Cape Fear Museum’s Nuclear Science Week panels on Oct. 23 are free. Airlie Gardens is free for New Hanover County residents on the first Sunday of each month.

When is early voting in New Hanover County? Early voting runs Oct. 15-31, 2026, according to the county calendar. See our voting guide for sites and hours.